Schools that Produce Stars
Oct. 1, 2005 — -- The death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist and the retirement of Sandra Day O'Connor gives President Bush the opportunity to change the balance of the U.S. Supreme Court.
But regardless of his conservative credentials, John Roberts will give the high court a decidedly "crimson" hue. That's because Roberts is the fifth justice on the Supreme Court who went to Harvard Law School. Harvard grads now make up the majority of the Supreme Court -- something that has never happened before.
The Harvard majority comes much too late to help Harvard grad Al Gore. Allegiance to a fellow alum could have tipped how the Supreme Court ruled on the 2000 presidential election.
Instead, a Yale man won, which continued another Ivy League tradition of Yalies in the White House. Yale grads have had a grip on the presidency since the first President Bush was inaugurated in 1989. Bill Clinton went to Yale Law School.
Of course, not everyone can be president or a Supreme Court justice.
Other students bring fame to their alma maters for other feats.
Notre Dame is known as a perennial football powerhouse. The Fighting Irish boast seven Heisman trophy winners, more than any other school. Notre Dame has sent more than 450 football players to the pros. Ten of those players have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, a distinction it shares with its rival, the University of Southern California.
USC also is known for turning out great filmmakers. George Lucas, director of the "Star Wars" movies, went to USC. So did Robert Zemeckis, who directed "Back to the Future" and Ron Howard, who directed "A Beautiful Mind." In fact, since 1973, at least one USC graduate has been nominated every year for an Academy Award.
The University of Mississippi seems to have a penchant for beauty pageants. Graduates of Ole Miss won consecutive Miss America crowns in 1959 and 1960.
Some high schools also are great at producing talent. Don Larsen and David Wells, who both pitched perfect no-hit games for the New York Yankees, are both alums of Point Loma High School in San Diego.
Some schools, it seems, just have a knack for creating stars.
